| Time: | 7.30pm | Place: | Council Chamber, Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City |
| PRESENT: | Councillor R.L. Shakespeare - Smith (Chairman), Councillor John Booth (Vice-Chairman), Councillor Mrs A.G. Ashley, Councillor D.J. Barnard (from 7.49pm), Councillor Clare Billing, Councillor Judi Billing, Councillor P.C.W. Burt, Councillor Faye S Frost, Councillor Jane Gray, Councillor Jean Green, Councillor Gary Grindal, Councillor Nicola Harris, Councillor Simon Harwood, Councillor Steve Hemingway, Councillor Cathryn Henry, Councillor Fiona Hill, Councillor T.W. Hone, Councillor Tony Hunter, Councillor S.K. Jarvis, Councillor Sal Jarvis, Councillor Lorna Kercher, Councillor Joan Kirby, Councillor David Leal - Bennett, Councillor David Levett, Councillor Bernard Lovewell, Councillor Ian Mantle, Councillor Paul Marment, Councillor Gerald Morris, Councillor M.R.M. Muir, Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham, Councillor Frank Radcliffe, Councillor Mike Rice, Councillor Deborah Segalini, Councillor Adrian Smith, Councillor Harry Spencer-Smith, Councillor Mrs C.P.A. Strong, Councillor R.A.C. Thake and Councillor M.E. Weeks. |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Chief Executive, Strategic Director of Customer Services, Strategic Director of Finance, Policy and Governance, Head of Revenues, Benefits and IT, ICT Manager, Corporate Human Resources Manager, Acting Corporate Legal Manager and Committee and Member Services Manager. |
| ALSO PRESENT: | 2 members of the public. |
| Meeting attachments |
Agenda Front Sheets Audio Recording of Meeting |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
| PART I | ||||
| 92 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Alan Bardett, John Bishop, Julian Cunningham, Bill Davidson, John Harris, Ben Lewis, Jim McNally, Alan Millard, Janine Paterson and Deepak Sangha. |
Noted | ||
| 93 |
MINUTES Minutes It was moved by Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham, seconded by Councillor T.W. Hone, and RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 11 February 2016 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman. |
Agreed | ||
| 94 |
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS No additional business was presented for consideration by the Council. |
Noted | ||
| 95 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) Long Service Award - Anne Banner The Chairman announced that Anne Banner joined the Council in 1991 as maternity cover for 6 months in the then Cashiering service in Town Lodge. After only 2 months she was offered a permanent post and she worked in Cashiers until 1996, when the Revenues and Benefits Service had a restructure and Anne successfully applied for a job as a Benefits Officer. The Chairman explained that, within 2 years, Anne was promoted to a Senior Benefits Officer and then became the Benefits Manager in 2005. Anne had led the Team through a multitude of Housing and Council Tax Benefit changes, including the change to Council Tax Reduction and was now instrumental in the transition to Universal Credit. The Chairman stated that Anne had developed her knowledge and expertise and was the Council's specialist in all types of Benefit, not just those relating to Housing and Council Tax. She was the ‘go to' person for any aspect of this subject. She was a popular and well respected member of the Revenues and Benefits Management Team, the wider Council in general, and many external organisations, who had benefitted from her advice and guidance. It was moved by the Chairman, seconded by Councillor T.W. Hone, and RESOLVED: That the Council places on record its sincere thanks to Anne Banner for her long and valuable service to local government in North Hertfordshire. (2) Councillors standing down at the forthcoming District Council Elections The Chairman paid tribute to Councillors Alan Bardett, John Harris, Sal Jarvis, Joan Kirby and Deborah Segalini, all of whom were standing down at the forthcoming District Council Elections. He thanked them for their hard work and dedication during their respective times in office, and wished them well for the future. As this was his final meeting as Chairman of the Council, he took the opportunity to thanks all Members for their support and contributions during the past year. (3) Declarations of Interest The Chairman reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question. |
Noted | ||
| 96 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION There was no public participation. |
Noted | ||
| 97 |
ITEM REFERRED FROM EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE: 17 MARCH 2016 - APPOINTMENT OF MONITORING OFFICER Referral [Prior to the consideration of this item, Anthony Roche (Acting Monitoring Officer) withdrew from the meeting] The Council considered the Minute of the meeting of the Employment Committee held on 17 March 2016, in respect of the proposed permanent appointment of the Council's Monitoring Officer (Minute 7 refers). The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham) advised that the post of Monitoring Officer had been advertised internally and that one applicant (Anthony Roche) had been interviewed by the Employment Committee on 17 Match 2016. The interview had lasted almost an hour and, in accordance with the Officer Employment Rules, the Committee had unanimously resolved to recommend to Council that Mr Roche be appointed to the post of Monitoring Officer. As required by the Officer Employment Rules, Cabinet Members had been consulted regarding the proposed appointment and no objections had been made. It was moved by Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham, seconded by Councillor David Levett that Anthony Roche be appointed to the post of Monitoring Officer. In accordance with Standing Order 4.8.16(e), Councillor Simon Harwood requested that a Recorded Vote be undertaken on the motion. (Voting: For: Councillors Allison Ashley, Clare Billing, Judi Billing, John Booth, P.C.W. Burt, Faye S. Frost, Jane Gray, Jean Green, Gary Grindal, Nicola Harris, Simon Harwood, Steve Hemingway, Cathryn Henry, Fiona Hill. T.W. Hone, Tony Hunter, Lorna Kercher, Joan Kirby, David Levett, Bernard Lovewell, Ian Mantle, Paul Marment, Gerald Morris, M.R.M. Muir, Mrs L.A. Needham, Frank Radcliffe, Mike Rice, Deborah Segalini, R.L. Shakespeare-Smith, Adrian Smith, Harry Spencer-Smith, Mrs C.P.A. Strong, R.A.C. Thake and Michael Weeks - 34 Against: Councillor David Leal-Bennett - 1 Abstentions: Councillors Sal Jarvis and S.K. Jarvis - 2 The motion was carried.) It was therefore, RESOLVED: That Anthony Roche be appointed to the post of Monitoring Officer. REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that the Council complies with the statutory requirement to nominate one of its officers as Monitoring Officer. Upon Anthony Roche returning to the meeting, the Chairman congratulated him on his appointment. |
Agreed | ||
| 98 |
ITEM REFERRED FROM CABINET: 30 MARCH 2016 - THIRD QUARTER CAPITAL MONITORING 2015/16 Referral Appendix A - Capital Programme Summary 2015/16 onwards Appendix B - Capital Programme Detail 2015/16 onwards The Council considered the Minute of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 30 March 2016, in respect of the Third Quarter Capital Monitoring 2015/16, and in particular the inclusion in the Capital programme for 2016/17 onwards of various IT schemes (Minute 118 refers). A copy of the report considered by the Cabinet was included with the agenda, as were the following appendices: Appendix A - Capital Programme Summary 2015/16 onwards; and Appendix B - Capital Programme Detail 2015/16 onwards. It was moved by Councillor T.W. Hone, seconded by Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham and, upon being put to the vote, it was RESOLVED: That the IT schemes detailed in Paragraph 8.5 of the report, totalling £1.103million for the four year period, be included in the Capital Programme for 2016/17 onwards. REASON FOR DECISION: To approve additions to the Capital Programme 2016/17 onwards. |
Agreed | ||
| 99 |
PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2016/17 Report Annex 1 - Pay Policy Statement 2016/17 The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham) presented the report of the Strategic Director of Customer Services in respect of the Pay Policy Statement 2016/17. The following annex was submitted with the report: Annex 1 - North Herts District Council Draft Pay Policy Statement 2016/17. The Leader of the Council reminded Members that the draft Pay Policy Statement 2016/17 was required to be considered and approved in accordance with the requirements of Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011 (the Act), associated guidance issued under Section 40 of the Act and the Local Government Transparency Codes 2014 and 2015. The Statement also incorporated changes envisaged in the Enterprise Bill 2015. It incorporated elements of existing policy and practice and was required to be agreed annually. Initial consultation on the Draft Pay Policy Statement had taken place with the Staff Consultation Forum, Unison and Group Leaders. The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham) advised that organisation structure, Trade union activity and Senior Officer salaries were all required to be published on the Council's website. Pay multiples were also incorporated into the Pay Policy Statement. The Leader of the Council stated that the Enterprise Bill 2015 was still progressing through Parliament, and the possible implications of the Bill on the Pay Policy Statement were set out in Paragraph 8.18 of the report. The proposed Statement, attached at Annex 1 to the report, was annotated with the proposed amendments for 2016/17. It was moved by Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham, seconded by Councillor T.W. Hone that the recommendations contained in the report be approved. The following comments were made during the debate upon this item: - It was hoped that Hay Consultants would look at any pay differentials as part of their 2016/17 review of pay scales; - The Leader of the Council was content for all Members of the Council to receive the Equality monitoring statistics regularly submitted to and considered by the Joint Staff Consultative Committee; - The Leader of the Council was similarly content for the car allowance structure to be considered, in order to pay regard to the use of more environmentally friendly vehicles; - Staff exit interviews had revealed that nearby authorities were generally offering higher salaries than NHDC for similar level jobs. This issue would also be considered as part of the Hay Consultants review; - Paragraph 8.15 of the report should be amended to state that the Council must publish on its website the names of all Trade Unions recognised by the local authority; and - Once the national pay settlement for 2016/17 was concluded, the Leader of the Council would be prepared to consider the possible introduction of the Living Wage Foundation's level of living wage (£8.25 per hour, as opposed to the Government's £7.20 per hour), although she was not prepared to give any guarantee that this would be adopted by NHDC. Upon the motion being out to the vote, it was RESOLVED: (1) That the Pay Policy Statement 2016/17, as attached at Annex 1 to the report, be endorsed; and (2) That the Strategic Director Customer Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be delegated authority to agree subsequent minor revisions to the Policy Statement, such as subsequent pay awards agreed nationally and new legislative requirements, as outlined in Paragraph 3.7 of the Policy at Annex 1. REASON FOR DECISION: To comply with the requirements of Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011, statutory guidance issued under Section 40 and the Local Government Transparency Codes 2014 and 2015 and to incorporate changes envisaged in the Enterprise Bill. |
Agreed | ||
| 100 |
QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS Report There were no questions from Members. |
Noted | ||
| 101 |
NOTICE OF MOTIONS Report There were no notices of motions. |
Noted | ||